Letter 216

216. To Meletius, Bishop of Antioch.

Many other journeys also have led us away from our native land. For we crossed even as far as Pisidia, in order, with the bishops there, to put in order the affairs concerning the brethren in Isauria. And from there the journey to Pontus succeeded, since Eustathius had sufficiently disturbed Dazimon, and persuaded many there to separate themselves from our church. We went even as far as the little dwelling of our brother Peter, which, because it draws near to the region of Neocaesarea, both gave occasion for much disturbance to those there, and procured for us the pretext of much insult. For they were fleeing, though no one pursued, while we were supposed, out of a desire for the praises among them, to be thrusting ourselves in uninvited.

But when we returned, having gathered much sickness from the rains and the despondencies, immediately letters from the East overtook us, signifying that the party of Paulinus had received certain letters from the West — like, as it were, the tokens of some primacy — and that the factious men of that quarter were greatly elated and exulting in the letters, and that they were then putting forward a creed, and on the basis of it were ready to be united to our church. Besides these things, this too was reported to us: that they had won over to their cause that altogether excellent man Terentius; to whom I quickly wrote, restraining him, so far as it was possible for me, from his impulse, and instructing him in their deceit.